Formula 1 can expect a very hot Austrian Grand Prix weekend. The heat will eventually give way to thunderstorms – but these aren’t expected until after the race.
Much of Europe is experiencing a heatwave at the moment, with record-breaking temperatures expected. It will be hot at the Red Bull Ring, venue of this weekend’s action, as well. However the Styrian hills will offer some respite from the scorching heat. Even so drivers have expect significantly hotter weather than last year. Race day ambient temperatures peaked at 24C last year, but they could be as much as 10C higher on Sunday. Today, the last day before the track action begins, should see temperatures hit 34C, but they will dip between now and race day.
Three days of near-constant sunshine are expected to start on Friday, with only a moderate breezing keeping temperatures from hitting 30C. It’s likely track temperatures will be north of 50C, as they were at Paul Ricard.
Similar conditions expected on Saturday. Sunday will be hotter still, and last year’s peak race track temperature of 49C will surely be easily beaten. It points to conditions rather similar to last weekend’s race at Paul Ricard, where Mercedes unusually suffered some blistering on its tyres during the race. With the same tyres nominated this weekend – the soft C4s through the hard C2s – that may prove a concern for all F1 teams again this weekend, particularly in the hard acceleration zones which stress the rear tyres.
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